Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-13
ANCIENT WELLS.
Interesting Data Concerning the Waite
SunnIY nf Old.

6upPiy VI Oius
Baldwin Latham says that as the art of
wellsinking developed itself at an ex-
tremely early period, and long anterior to
the commencement of history, no very
great advance has been made in it; in
deed, the mode usually adopted at the pres
emit day when sinking wells to great
depth in loose strata-by first forming a
curb on which the ordinary steining is
placed, and which settles down as the
work Of excavation is carried on within,
and thereby preventing the loose soil fall
into the well-was practised ages ago in
sinking wells in the East, and from them
we have copied the mode in more modern
times. When the British took possession
of Hindostan the number of wells in use
in that country was estimated at $4,000.
Many Of the ancient wells were of great
depth. The wells of Cabul are from 300
feet 70 $50 feet deep, and many of them
are but three feet in diameter. The fam
Gus well at Tyre is said to be $50 fathoms
in depth. Jacobs we'll at Samaria is los
feet deep and nine feet diameter. The well
Fem Fem, at Mecca, is 210 feet deep. and
that of Jacobs at Cairo, 300 feet deep.
The well of Joseph is 4 fine example of
the skill and boldness of design of the
well-sinker. Although called after Joseph
by the Arabs, it is by no means of so an
Gent date as the name would imply, for
the well was probably sunk about 700 or
800 years ago, but by whom Is disputed
point, some attributing it to vizier of
the name of Joseph, others to Saladin, the
intrepid defender of his country. whose
name was iussef (Joseph). The we'll con-
sists Of two shafts, one above the other but
not In the same vertical line. The upper
; shaft IS an oblong excavation "a BY Is feet,
and loo feet deep, descending into large
and capacious chamber, in the floor OF
which Is constructed n basin or reservoir
Tor containing water that is raised from
the lower shaft. In this chamber lower
shaft Is sunk, which is an excavation -
by 9 feet and 100 feet deep. Round the
upper shaft spiral passage feet inches
wide and feet 2 inches high is cut,
separated from the well by partition wall
! OF the solid rock, only six inches in thick
ness, through which loopholes are pierced
for lighting the passage This passage is
made use OF by parties who draw water,
and also for the descent of mules or other
animals that are employed in the large
| chamber below, to give motion to a system
OF chain pots by which the water IS raised
from the lower shaft and poured into the
basin in the chamber. There is also a
spiral passage round the lower shaft, but it
Is not inclosed from the well, as in the
case of the passage round the upper shaft.
The water of this well is procured from a
bed of gravel, after penetrating the strata
TO the depth before mentioned. Wells are
common in Greece, and in the olden times
of its classic glory were the places of pub
he resort. Just as in modern times men
congregate at their clubs and such like
places, so did the sage Athenians meet to-
gether at their wells, and at them orators
acclaimed, and music and the dance lent
their charm to make them places of pleas
ure and amusement.